The Once and Future Queen
by fey of the forest
Summary: The final instalment of Alethea's Tale. Life on Avalon is almost idyllic, but it is not for everyone. What happens when destiny is ignored? When will the prophecy be fulfilled? And what happens when an old threat emerges and threatens to destroy everything that Camelot created?
1. Alethea's Avalon

**Hello guys! It's been quite a while, but I found this story hidden in the depths of some files on my computer, and figured it was better to let them out in the world rather than keep them hidden.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Arthur or Merlin or any part of BBC Merlin sadly, but I do own my OC's, including Alethea, Ingrid and a couple of others. **

**This is the final instalment of Alethea's story. **

**I hope you enjoy it, and please read and review.**

**Fey-of-the-forest**

A thousand years or more had passed since Alethea Pendragon had first set foot on the Isle of Avalon, and she had grown bored of her life here. She was unable to leave the small island thanks to the prophecy that stated Arthur and his men would rise again when England most needed them, and though much had undoubtedly happened to the country, they had not been required so far. Being stuck here had never really been much of a problem before, for she had always been able to fill her time with something, but today was different. Even her daily walk around the Isle was not helping, and she was finding herself reminiscing about her time here and everything that had come before. As she turned onto the path that took her to the shore, she thought back to when she had first arrived.

Those first years on Avalon had seen her recovering from the disease which had brought her here, followed by exploring her new residence and introducing other members of Camelot to the Isle. It had always been a sad day when they arrived, for it meant that a piece of the legendary kingdom was gone, but Alethea ensured that it was a joyous occasion too, for they were free from suffering. They had always been more than happy to indulge her in news of the world and often taught her new skills. With every person that moved to Avalon, new tales would be shared and old ones would be embellished. However, as time went on, and with no new people joining them, there was only so much that could be done. She had recorded the tales for posterity, and written her own stories too, after having read all the books in the library here at least twice. Though it had taken some time, Ingrid had taught Alethea to draw, but the former queen had now drawn everything on the island at least ten times each already. Alethea was now an incredibly skilled swordswoman, and knew everything there was to know about every weapon and item of armour. She had also learned to weave and embroider, but her wardrobe was full of dresses that would last her for at least another hundred years or more. Whilst others seemed happy to occupy their time with things like reading or training or gossiping, Alethea found she was starting to become tired of it all.

She was growing weary of this life. Though she had been restored to her youthful figure, as everyone had done upon arrival here, she had lived for over two hundred lifetimes, and she had no idea how long she would be around. It had not really bothered her too much at first, but there was one day when Penny, her faithful black and gold dragon, had arrived on Avalon with sad news. Her son, Aeron, was dead. He had passed in his sleep, having succumbed to old age, and he was not meant for Avalon. He had no sons, only a daughter who had been married off, and so Camelot was left to fall to ruins. No one had been able to comfort her or Arthur for days afterwards. To have lost a child was painful enough, but to outlive them? It was horrendous. They had always assumed that Aeron would be allowed to join them, but apparently this was not the case. Though they begged and pleaded, it was too late. Their son was gone, and there was no way to bring him back. The only comfort was that Penny remained with them now, and as she was the last dragon, all had decided it best that she not leave.

Alethea sighed then as her feet hit the sandy banks. She was growing fed up even of her favourite thing. She loved walking around the Isle, for it was full of beauty. The great stone palace in the middle always shone brightly, with stained glass windows adding colour to the honey coloured stone. Surrounding it was forest, which was full of wildlife and the men enjoyed hunting in. The shore was Alethea's favourite part. It was always surrounded in mist, but during one of her early explorations she had stumbled across one patch where she could see the world beyond. Despite showing everyone else around the Isle, this was the one spot that was truly her own, and not even her husband knew of it. She had set up her own little camp here, complete with a shelter, blankets, and a food store, and she spent at least twenty minutes each day watching events unfold across the water. She had been sad to watch the village being raided by Vikings, and then by Normans, but the people had simply rebuilt their town on the same spot. As time went on a mighty abbey was constructed, and she found it fascinating to see how such a beautiful building was created by man. It had upset her then to see it destroyed at the orders of King Henry the Eighth, and then practically demolished in the English Civil War. Though she was amazed to be able to watch history unfold, she was torn as to whether she should keep returning. She knew that one day she would arrive at her secret place and find that the nearby town was entering the twenty-first century, and the pull to go home would become too much.

She had always felt guilty for not trying to return to her parents and her friends, and the lost dreams of her adolescence had plagued her. Though she did not regret marrying Artur, she wished that the cost had not been so high. She doubted that he knew just what he had been asking of her when he had proposed, and she wondered if she had truly known the price of saying yes. Of course, love meant making sacrifices for each other, but she wondered if he had given up quite as much as her. She truly loved him with all her heart, but occasionally her thoughts drifted to a life where she had returned to her home and completed her studies. Where would she have gone? What job would she have ended up with? And would she have found love? It was all idle thought of course. When she was allowed off Avalon, her husband would be with her. That is what the prophecy was. Arthur and his men would rise when England needed them most. He was the Once and Future King after all, and that made her the Once and Future Queen. At least, that is what the Lady of Avalon had told them.

The former queen and once college student wandered back to her spot on the shore and sat down on the chair she had managed to smuggle here one day, before watching the waves ripple against the bank. The sun was shining brightly and a cool breeze blew through the trees, but Alethea did not notice this. Instead her eyes fixed upon a group of men dressed in khaki uniforms, all being waved off by families. Her heart sank when she saw them, for she knew that very few, if any, would return alive. It seemed that the twentieth century had arrived overnight, and she wondered just what the time difference was between Avalon and the world outside. She knew that time must pass differently here, for she had noticed that buildings went up too quickly across the water, and yet she had never dared to ask the question as it would give her place up immediately. What this did mean though was that there was a strong chance that she would see the twenty-first century from afar, and she was not sure that she could do that. After all, how could she sit here and do nothing when she knew her parents would be a few hundred miles away, wondering what had happened to their only child?

It was getting dark when she finally returned to the palace. It seemed she had been gone for hours, and so she was not surprised to bump into Arthur on her way back. He was stalking along the main path with a torch, and he smiled as he saw his wife.

"Where have you been?" He asked as he carefully set the torch down and wrapped his arms around her. Alethea savoured the hug, feeling some of her concerns melt away, and wished that she could tell him what was worrying her. However, she had a good idea that he would not understand why she wished to leave, and even she was unsure of whether she would be able to return if she could go. If it came down to the choice between seeing her parents once more or spending eternity with Arthur, just what would she choose?

"I went for a walk." She shrugged as he let her go and they began to walk back to the palace, hand in hand.

"You rarely go for evening walks."

"There's always a first time for everything." She pointed out. Though she was glad that she had not spent too many years of her life on Avalon without him, it had been a sad day when he had arrived. Even now the memory was clear in her mind, as if it had happened only yesterday. She had cried when she had seen the state of him, and had refused to leave his side until he had recovered. For weeks afterwards they had been inseparable, and even now they tried to spend as much time together as they could.

"Something is bothering you." He stated, knowing her far too well.

"I'm bored." She told him without having to think twice. Arthur scoffed, then regretted it as Alethea glared at him. "I really mean it."

"You never get bored."

"I rarely do, but I have attempted everything and my heart simply is not in it." She corrected as she tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

"You could join us in training tomorrow." He offered, and she smiled slightly. It had taken him some persuading at first, but he had eventually given in to her relentless pestering to let her be trained on how to use a sword well.

"You know I'll only defeat you again." She teased, and he shook his head.

"Honestly, it was only the once…."

"That's all it takes." Alethea pointed out before sighing again. "I'm sure this feeling will pass. I guess I am simply growing restless."

"Well, if there is anything I can do…"

"I will let you know."

Alethea barely slept that night, for her dreams were plagued with images of home. Though they were fuzzy, and felt more like something she had made up than actual memories, she could not shake the fact that the chance to see her parents was presenting itself. All she had to do was find a way off Avalon and ensure that she could return after she had seen her family and friends once more.

"It cannot be done." The Lady of Avalon stated when Alethea arrived in the library a little before dawn. The former queen had not even asked the question yet, but her heart sank. "You cannot leave Avalon until Albion needs Arthur."

"So I am forced to watch from afar the world I grew up in, unable to see my family for even a moment?"

"No one is forcing you to do anything." The Lady stated softly. She was older than anyone here, but she was beautiful. She wore a pale blue silk gown, and her long brown hair cascaded down her shoulders. "Even I cannot change your destiny."

"I am fed up with destiny!" Alethea snapped. "I just want to see my parents…"

"There is nothing to be done." The Lady said before leaving. Alethea could only stand there and let her tears fall.

Arthur found her later that morning. He had woken to discover that there had been a bit of a disagreement between his wife and the Lady of Avalon, and he wanted to make sure that Alethea was alright. So he had followed the trail through the woods and was a little confused when he found the small shelter. He had believed that he knew every inch of this Isle, but it seemed that Alethea had been hiding something from him.

"So this is where you disappear to." He said as he stepped forwards. Alethea barely looked up from where she was sitting, her knees hunched to her chest as she rested her chin on her hands. She truly looked forlorn, and he wondered just what was upsetting her so much. "What is it that you were discussing with the High Priestess this morning?"

"It doesn't matter." She gave a heart felt sigh.

"It does." Arthur pressed onwards as he sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You can tell me Alethea. I promise I will do what I can to help." She was silent for a moment as she weighed up her options, and then she met his eyes.

"Promise me you won't get angry or upset."

"I promise." He said, though he was a little confused.

"I asked if I could leave." Arthur's heart dropped and then he felt anger start to rise in his blood. "Only for a few days." She carried on. "It's not that I wish to leave you, but…" Alethea sighed once more and then turned her gaze across the water. Arthur followed her line of sight, and then frowned as he spotted a very strange looking assortment of buildings.

"What is that?"

"The later part of the twentieth century." She explained. "Somewhere out there, I am in a crib with my parents."

"This is why you have been so restless?" he guessed and she nodded. "You can't go." He stated, and Alethea clenched her fists in frustration.

"Why not? Why can I not go and reassure my parents that I am not dead? That I did not simply disappear forever?" She asked him as he removed his arm from her shoulder. "Do you have any idea what they will have gone through looking for me? Is it so wrong to want to tell them that I am okay?"

"You belong here, with me." He said. Alethea got to her feet and so did he.

"I belong with my family, in the twenty-first century!" She shouted, feeling her temper boil. She rarely got this angry, and she despised arguing with her husband, but she had no choice. He was being a complete idiot.

"I am your family!" He yelled, desperately trying to stop her from doing something foolish. He had no wish to lose her again, and she was the only thing that made this life on Avalon worth living.

"You are only my husband, not my blood." She seethed. "My parents are out there. Do you not see why I wish to go?"

"No Alethea." He demanded. "You are not leaving."

"Are you honestly telling me that if you were given the chance to see your parents again you would not take it?" he was silent. "Arthur, is it such a terrible crime to want to go home?" She softened then, her voice cracking slightly.

"It does not matter, because are not leaving." He stated.

"I belong there! I had a life! Dreams! Ambitions! Friends! And I gave them all up for you."

"I never asked you to." He said softly, though he knew deep down that she spoke the truth.

"You did! The day you proposed!" She pointed out, and he sighed. There was no winning this one.

"Then I am sorry I asked you to be my wife!" He said snidely, and Alethea looked stunned for a moment. Her eyes brimmed with tears, but Arthur would not back down or apologise for something he believed in, and he remained silent. Not wishing to stay there any longer, Alethea took to her heels and wanted nothing more than to be alone, with a way off this forsaken island.


	2. Remorse and Regrets

Arthur Pendragon regretted his words the moment they left his mouth, but once spoken they could not be unsaid. He had watched his wife's face crumple, and had done nothing to stop her from running away from him. All he had done was demand that she stay here on Avalon, with him, and in doing so he had crushed her dreams completely. He could not blame her for wanting to see her family again, but here was her home. Here were her family and friends. These were the people she had spent over a thousand years with. He had truly thought that his wife would have accepted her destiny by now, and yet it seemed he had been proven wrong. Sighing, he took a few breaths to calm himself down. Of course he was angry at the thought of her leaving him, but he could not hate her for it. If he had the opportunity to see his parents again then of course he would take it. However, there was the prophecy attached to Arthur, and that meant that they were all stuck on Avalon until Albion needed them. No one had tried to leave the Blessed Isle yet, but if someone did leave, would they be able to return? And if Alethea could go, would she want to come back? What would happen if she left, and he never saw her again?

Arthur hurried after her then, but his wife had already had a good head start and she apparently knew the island better than he did. He called after her, but got no response, and so he returned to the palace, hoping that he would find her there. He knew he needed to apologise. He hated arguing with her, and though he was not entirely in the wrong, he knew that what he had said was cruel. Of course he loved her. He did not regret making her his wife, and the thought of losing her again terrified him. He had already had to live several years apart from her while she resided on Avalon and he ruled Camelot, and he was determined that he would never suffer such heartache again. Alethea was the only person he knew who was able to calm his temper and she gave good advice. She was his most trusted advisor, his closest friend and the only woman he had ever truly loved. He could not lose her. Could she not understand that?

Sighing, he knocked on Alethea's door and hoped that she would forgive him. However, he received no response, and so he tried the handle. He smiled when he found it was not locked, but then frowned as he found Alethea asleep on the bed, her cheeks still damp from her tears. It seemed she had cried herself to sleep, and though he wished to apologise, he decided it would be for the best not to disturb her. He closed the door and then went in search of someone who may be able to help.

"I know what you have come to ask Pendragon." The Lady of Avalon stated, not looking up from the large book she was reading.

"You do?" Arthur was only a little surprised.

"You have come to ask if it is possible for your wife to leave the Isle in order to visit her birthplace."

"How do you…?"

"She asked only a few hours ago." The Lady explained, and Arthur was not shocked to discover this. He just wished that Alethea had spoken with him first.

"And is it possible?"

"Her destiny is entwined with yours." She explained, then sighed as she realised that the blonde man looked confused. "She may not leave until Albion needs her, like you." Arthur was silent for a moment as he weighed up the options available.

"Was Alethea always destined to come to Camelot?"

"She was."

"So she may not leave until I do, and I cannot leave until Albion needs me?"

"That is what the prophecy states."

"Do we have any idea when that will be?"

"No." The Lady stated, and Arthur sighed.

"So there is nothing to be done?"

"Exactly."

Somewhat frustrated with the answer he had been given, the once and future king found himself wandering towards his friend's quarters. After all, if anyone knew about destinies then it was Merlin, and the warlock was always happy to help, even though Arthur did nothing but torment him. Though he had not admitted it to anyone, he would class Merlin as his second closest friend, and he trusted him with his life. He knew that the warlock had saved his life countless times, and he still had no idea how he could ever repay him.

"Sire?"

"Ingrid." Arthur greeted as the raven-haired lady opened the door. The sorceress had softened slightly towards him during their time on Avalon, but that still did not mean that she liked him. "I need a word with your husband."

"He's not here."

"Do you know where he might be?"

"Nope."

"Very helpful, aren't you?" She just giggled before shutting the door. Cursing, Arthur ran his hand through his hair before turning to go to the library, where he was certain that Merlin would be.

"Hello Arthur." Merlin greeted as he returned a book to one of the shelves. The warlock was smiling, but this turned into a frown as he took in the king's appearance. "What did you do?"

"I haven't done anything." Arthur said.

"Then what needs doing?"

"Nothing." It was true. Merlin no longer had to polish armour or sharpen swords, for all of his usual tasks were now automatically done thanks to the magic on the Isle. This meant that the warlock was no longer a servant, and instead had plenty of free time.

"Then why visit the library? Weren't you and Leon supposed to be going hunting or something?"

"I…" Arthur hesitated, for he had never been good at asking for help. "I need your advice."

"You're actually asking me for help for once?" Merlin couldn't believe it, but Arthur just nodded. "Surely your wife would…" Arthur's face fell, and Merlin's eyes widened as he realised what this was about. "What did you do?"

"We may have had an argument." Arthur admitted, and Merlin whistled. It was rare that the monarchs argued, and everyone knew that they were as stubborn as each other.

"About?"

"She wants to go home."

"Home?"

"To her parents, and her friends before she came to Camelot." Arthur explained, while Merlin looked confused.

"She has not mentioned them in a while. Do we know why the sudden change?"

"We have been on Avalon for so long, and she the longest of us all. I do not doubt that she ever forgot her family, and I think she wishes to see them while we are waiting for the prophecy to arrive."

"So she wants to go to her original home?"

"She cannot leave." Arthur stated.

"And that's why you were arguing?" Merlin guessed.

"I found her sitting by the lake earlier, and her view was of the world beyond here. It was nothing like I have seen before." Arthur sighed.

"She has seen her own time?"

"It approaches quickly." Arthur confirmed.

"Ah… And you told her she couldn't go?"

"I demanded that she stay." Merlin whistled again, knowing that the Pendragon was in deep trouble. "I just don't want her to leave and never return."

"This is Alethea we're talking about. She would never leave you completely." The warlock pointed out. "Have you apologised?"

"I tried to, but she was sleeping."

"Then apologise the first chance you get." Merlin advised. "Otherwise you'll be facing a very hurt and angry woman." Arthur said nothing, but Merlin could read his friend like a book. "You want her to go?"

"You know what it's like to be in love Merlin. You just want the other person to be happy."

"There is nothing to be done though. Destiny cannot be changed."

"Can it not? Really?"

"Trust me. I tried to escape my own when I first became your servant." Merlin pointed out.

"You truly were the worst servant I had ever encountered."

"And yet you could not get rid of me, because that was my destiny." The warlock explained. "If there was a way then we would have found it by now. I am truly afraid that we are all here for the same reason, and none of us can leave until that point." Arthur looked truly crestfallen, and Merlin felt a little guilty. "I am sorry."

"It's not your fault Merlin."

Alethea still hadn't emerged by nightfall, and Arthur was growing increasingly worried. He knew he had said some cruel things, but he had not meant any of it. He just didn't want to lose her. He could only hope that she would understand this fact and forgive him. She still refused to answer the door when he knocked, and he had found it to be locked on his next attempt to apologise. He knew that he could still apologise without facing her, and so he had written a note before slipping it under the door. It was up to her now what happened next.

He slept fitfully that night, for his dreams were full of Camelot and those days when Alethea had appeared to go home. Though he had barely known her then, he had missed her terribly, and he had never wished to say goodbye. Yet as he remembered those days from so long ago, he found that Alethea had been homesick most days. Though she had tried to hide it from him, it was always obvious in her eyes, and yet she had never once attempted to leave. He dreamt of their meeting in the forest, and how she had spoken of her own time. He remembered how sad she was to be stuck hundreds of years in the past, and he knew that she had lost so much more than he had ever believed when she had come to the legendary citadel. Alethea was very much a child out of her time, and he had never once questioned why she had not tried to go home, especially when she had left so much behind….

Arthur Pendragon ate his breakfast alone that morning, and he wished his memories would stop haunting him. It was plainly obvious to him now that Alethea had sacrificed much to be with him, and he wished that there was some way to let her visit her parents. He knew he would take any opportunity to see his father again, and so he could not blame her for wanting the same. Dressing for the day, he then headed next door and knocked, hoping that she would understand. However he got no response, and he was confused as he found the door unlocked. Walking inside, he found that Alethea was not there. In fact, her bed was made and it looked like she had not been there for a while. On closer inspection, Arthur found that things were missing, and his heart dropped as he realised what this meant. Surely she hadn't… Had she? He spun around, hoping to find her before it was too late, and sighed as he spotted his apology note on the floor unopened. She didn't know that he understood why she wanted to leave, and if she did go then…. Arthur took to his heels and ran.

Sprinting out of the room, he headed straight to the forest, praying that he would find her. He had an idea where she would have gone and he could only hope that he would get to her in time. Of course, he had to find that particular spot first. He had only stumbled across I yesterday, and he knew that it was on a part of the island that he had never been shown. That wouldn't help much though, and there were no tracks to follow. His wife, it would seem, knew exactly how to disappear without a trace. Aiming towards the lake edge, he ran along the shore, but after an hour he still hadn't found Alethea or the clearing. He swore, for time really was of the essence. After all, none of them had tried to leave Avalon before, and he had no idea what would happen if one of them attempted to do so. He could only guess that it would not be good.

By lunchtime he was no further forwards, and he was really worried now. Knowing that there was no way that he could search the entire island on his own, he returned to the palace and gathered a search party. With Merlin, Ingrid, Morgana and a number of his knights, Arthur briefed them and they were soon on their way. Each group had been given a different area to search, and Arthur knew that they were bound to find her somewhere. Merlin had volunteered to search with him, and the king was grateful for the company. As they walked, they reminisced of Camelot, and talked of those early days when Merlin had been made Arthur's servant. So much had happened since then, but the pair found themselves missing the kingdom.

"I see what Alethea meant." Merlin commented as they continued their search. The sun was beginning to set, and yet Arthur was refusing to give up hope.

"About missing home?"

"Exactly. I mean, we've been missing Camelot but we grew up there. We came here after living full lives in the citadel."

"And?" Arthur asked, not knowing what Merlin was going on about.

"Alethea had grown up in an entirely different place, and spent the rest of her life away from everything she knew. No wonder she misses it so much."

"That's true." Arthur sighed. "Why can't we find her?"

"Maybe one of the others has." Merlin said. "We should probably head back and find out."

"And if they haven't? If she is still out here?"

"The Isle of Avalon is perfectly safe. I'm sure that if we haven't found her today then we will find her tomorrow." The warlock was making sense, and so, somewhat reluctantly, the blonde Pendragon took the advice.

It appeared that no one had found any sign of her. The four groups had circumnavigated the island, but none of them had found any trace of Arthur's queen or her favourite clearing. However, none of them were about to give up, and it was agreed to renew the search the next day. In the meantime Arthur and Merlin searched the palace in case Alethea had returned at some point but, like his search in the forest, it was fruitless.

They set off at dawn the next day, but there was still no trail to follow. Regardless, they all headed out with a rather anxious Arthur in charge. The blonde Pendragon had never had his wife not want to be found, and though Avalon was perfectly safe it did not mean that Alethea was. She may have fallen or hurt herself, or be stuck somewhere, and all he wanted was for her to be by his side. He just needed to apologise and explain that he didn't want to lose her.

Alas, another day went by without any sign of the former queen. Arthur was beyond worried now, and he was beginning to wonder if she was even still on Avalon. Alethea had said that she would do anything to get home to her parents, and though it wasn't her destiny, Arthur was certain that it would not have dissuaded her. Doing yet another search of the building, he was beginning to lose hope. He had not wanted this to happen, especially considering their last words to each other, and he hoped that she was alright, wherever she was. She had gone somewhere they could not find her, and Arthur wondered if he could get help from the woman in charge.

"I have told you before. She cannot leave…" The Lady of Avalon stated as Arthur set foot through the door.

"I am trying to find her." Arthur explained, frustrated at the fact that she would not look at him. He was fraught with worry and this was his only hope of finding his wife.

"She will not be far away."

"We have searched every inch of this island twice and there is no trace of her."

"Then wherever she has gone she has no wish to be found." The Lady shrugged.

"You do not know where she is?" Arthur sounded truly forlorn, and the high sorceress finally looked at him. Her eyes widened as she realised she had never seen him look so desperate.

"I will try to find her."

"Even if she has left Avalon?"

"Even if she has, but it will take time."

He returned to his search the following morning, and this time he stumbled back across Alethea's clearing. Merlin was with him, and the pair looked across the lake to find that the scene had changed once again.

"This is it?" Merlin asked.

"Yet there is no sign of her." Arthur sighed.

"That is because she is no longer here." The Lady of Avalon stated from behind them. "It would appear that we misunderstood the prophecies."

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked.

"Arthur's and Alethea's destinies were entwined, but not when Albion needs you. It appears that the country needs your wife now." Arthur paled. His wife was gone, and he had no idea if he would ever see her again.

"And me?" It was barely a whisper.

"I am afraid not."

"No…. No, there must be a way!" He snapped, not wanting to believe it.

"Is there a way she can return?" Merlin asked.

"Once someone leaves Avalon then they cannot come back."

"So we cannot join her?"

"Not until Albion needs Arthur." The king sank to his knees, his hopes of seeing his wife again completely destroyed….


	3. Dreams and Decisions

Alethea Pendragon was in for quite a shock when she opened her eyes. She had slept soundly, dreaming only of her original home, and was dreading waking up for she would have to face an angry Arthur. However, as the light streamed through the curtains and she steadily left the world of sleep, she knew she would have to find her husband and hope that he would apologise. But as she regained consciousness, she had the feeling that something was not quite right.

Her bed was smaller, and the fabrics were much smoother than those she had been used to. There were no feathers poking out of the pillows, and the mattress was sprung. She could hear the sound of pigeons cooing outside, and then voices from somewhere nearby. She opened her eyes and then felt like crying, for it seemed she had gotten her wish. She was no longer on Avalon.

"Come on Ali! It's time to get up!" a voice from downstairs called. It was a voice she had not heard in over a thousand years. She was home.

Sitting upright, she pinched herself to make sure that she wasn't dreaming, and then looked around her bedroom. It looked exactly like the day she had left it all those years ago, and she was amazed at how much knowledge came flooding back to her. There were so many items that she had not used in so long, and it took her a few minutes to figure out where everything was kept. Yet, though she had been away for a millennium, it still felt incredibly familiar. Getting out of bed, she knew she had to make the most of this day, for she had no idea how long she would have, and she needed to tell her parents how much she loved them. That was far more important than worrying about how she had gotten here and whether she could return to Avalon.

"Ali! You'll be late for college if you're not careful!" Her mother warned, and Alethea smiled.

"I'm up mum! I'll be down shortly!" Alethea called, before figuring out what to wear.

Dressed in black skinny jeans and a checked shirt, Alethea realised just how much she had missed modern fashion, although she had not minded wearing gowns. Combing her hair, she then looked at her calendar to find that this was the day where she had left for college and ended up in Camelot. She had no idea what this meant, and she hoped that everything would be alright. But she panicked a little then, for it had been hundreds of years since she had last been to college, and her knowledge was very rusty. Though she had read her textbooks a couple of times, she had never actually picked them up since she had been the queen, and things were so much different then. There was also a part of her that didn't really want to go to college as she didn't want to waste the time she had with her parents.

"Someone's happy today." Her mother commented as Alethea walked into the living room. Ruth Wilkes had the same brown hair as her daughter, though she had blue eyes and was in her forties. She was reading a magazine with the local radio on, and Alethea could not help but smile. She had wanted to be back here for such a long time…

"Am I not allowed to be?" Alethea teased before spotting her dragon pendant on the coffee table. She was a little confused, but she put it on anyway before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast. Settling on toast, she placed the bread in the toaster and wondered how much she had forgotten about this world. She remembered certain things, but as it had been such a long time ago…

"So what have you got today?"

"I'll have to check my timetable. What day is it?"

"Friday." Ruth smiled. "Are you alright?"

"I just had a few weird dreams last night, that's all." Alethea dismissed. "Where would I find my timetable?"

"In your bag under the stairs." Her mother pointed out and proceeded to find it. Alethea bit into her toast and then took the offered timetable, before grimacing.

"French, geology, history and archaeology."

"French?" Her mother queried as Alethea sighed. She had never been any good at languages.

"First thing." The student took her bag and was then more confused as she found that all her notes and books were present. There was something very strange going on here.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. Besides, you only have today to get through before it's half term."

"True." Alethea smiled before putting her shoes on.

"Have you got everything? Keys? Phone?"

"Phone?" Alethea questioned, then realised she had forgotten about mobiles. She hurried upstairs and then found hers sat on the bedside table, so she grabbed it. "Phone." She assured her mother as she placed it in her bag.

"You'll lose your head if it wasn't screwed on today." Her mother joked. "Oh, don't forget, I'm working late tonight, so it'll just be you and your father for dinner."

"Alright." Alethea smiled, hoping that she would be back for dinner. She threw on her coat and bag before hesitating, and then gave her mum a hug. "I love you."

"I love you too." Ruth said softly, a little confused at her daughter's behaviour. "Now go, or you'll be late."

Alethea was incredibly grateful that the walk to college was a straight forward one, as she doubted that she would remember it otherwise. She was also glad that she was back in her sixteen-year-old body, and that it was only a few weeks into the academic year. Though she had been transported back to the Fifth Century, she had kept a record of her life before then, and it had helped her to remember certain aspects. As a result it had kept her memory of her life before Arthur alive, and it appeared to be helping now. She was rather conflicted though as she walked, for part of her could not actually believe that she was back home, while the rest of her screamed that it was real. Cars drove past as she crossed the bridge, and she could see an aeroplane in the sky above, while the roads were paved with tarmac. Houses and shops surrounded her, and she knew that this was like nothing any of her friends had ever seen. She did have her memories of Avalon and Camelot, and she hoped that she would see her friends again. She did want to see Arthur, and she hoped he would forgive her for actually leaving, though it had not been of her own accord. Why was she here anyway? It had to have been more than just wanting to be here. Was this part of the prophecy? That she would return when Albion needed her? If that was the case then where was Arthur? For surely Albion needed them both at the same time? And if not, then would she be able to return to Avalon? If she could, then did she have to seek it out? And if she failed, did that mean that Arthur and her friends were lost to her forever? Their last words had been in anger, and she dearly wished that she would see him again. If she didn't then…

"Hey! Alethea, over here!" She was snapped from her thoughts by a tall girl with short black and red hair. Alethea stared at her for a moment, trying to work out why she looked so familiar, and then realised that this had been one of her new friends at college.

"Sorry, I was in a world of my own." Alethea apologised, before noticing the girl's name on the large art folder she carried.

"It seemed like it." Astrid smiled slightly. "Everything alright?"

"It's just been a weird morning." Alethea shrugged. "Did you have a good evening?"

"Mostly. I was working on this big project." Astrid gestured to her folder that was almost as big as her. "You still up for the cinema next week?"

"What were we going to watch again?"

"We've not decided yet."

"Oh… Well, I hope to be able to come." Alethea said, not knowing if she would still be here at that point.

"Fair enough. I'll set up a group chat and we can go from there." Astrid said before checking her watch and cursing. "I'm going to be late."

"I'll see you later then." Alethea watched as Astrid hurried into one building, and then she checked her timetable again. Walking to the other building, she was glad when one of her classmates started talking to her in the corridor and led them to the right room. Their tutor came in just a moment later, and handed out their homework before starting their lesson. Alethea stared at her book in silence, feeling very confused and praying that she wasn't wasting precious time.

The morning was spent feeling much the same, for geology had hit some confusing terms. Having not had to deal with rocks, faults or earthquakes in a long time, Alethea could only take notes and hope that she would not be spending her time in college if Albion needed her. Unless Albion needed her knowledge… She was very confused as to why she had arrived home on the day she had originally left. It couldn't be coincidence, so if that was the case then why was she here? Was this part of the prophecy? Or were darker forces at work? And why did she have to attend college when she had no idea how long she had here? Sighing, she could only hope that answers would be forthcoming soon.

After geology she found herself sat in history, and for once she could actually contribute to the discussion about politics in court. Having been a queen appeared to have its advantages, and with the discussion of Elizabeth I, Alethea was able to list a number of barriers that a female ruler faced when surrounded by male politicians. Her teacher seemed rather impressed, but this did not stop him from giving them all an essay to complete over the holidays. Alethea wondered if she should actually do all this homework, but decided that if she was to stay here for longer than a few days then she would have to brush up on all of the subjects she had decided to study. At least the week off would give her plenty of time to figure things out…

"Boo!" The former queen had just sat down in the café and was flicking through her notes when a blonde girl jumped in front of her. April was a little taller than the former queen, and had straight shoulder length hair. Danni appeared with her, her long red hair tied back in a ponytail. Alethea smiled, for both were wearing name badges from a different class, and she was grateful for the help.

"Is there something you're not telling us?" Danni asked as she sat down, and Alethea looked very confused.

"Hmm?" Alethea asked as she sipped her water.

"Who's the lucky man?" April gestured to Alethea's left hand, and the former queen was surprised to find her engagement and wedding rings there.

"Oh, I must have put them on the wrong hand this morning… I'm having one of those days."

"They're very pretty though. Are they the real thing?"

"Just costume jewellery." Alethea dismissed as she swapped them to her right hand. She had no wish for anyone to know their real value, yet she did not want to take them off completely. As Astrid joined them, the group discussed their plans for the half term holidays, and Alethea wondered if any of them would notice that she had changed. She had no doubt that the girl they were used to spending time with was long gone, and yet she hoped that they would still be friends with her. She would certainly need them if she was to remain here for a while. Of course, they had no idea that she had ever left, let alone the fact that she had been a wife, queen and mother. Alethea also knew that she would face many challenges ahead if she was to remain here. Resuming her life as a student and a teenager would not be easy, and it would take time to adapt to modern life. She also knew that she wouldn't be able to discuss her experiences of Camelot or Avalon with anyone else, for no one would ever believe her.

"You truly are in a world of your own today." Astrid commented, and Alethea was surprised to find them all looking at her. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I didn't sleep too well." The former queen lied.

"It's time for next lesson." Danni pointed out, and so Alethea hugged them before heading to the third building of the day.

Archaeology had always been a favourite subject of hers, and so the last hour flew by. She had no difficulty in this lesson, for it was all about the Romans, and she had kept her knowledge up to date during her time in Camelot. Therefore, as the clock struck four, Alethea packed her bag up and started the walk home, her mind a flurry of thoughts. She truly had no idea how long she had here, nor why she had been returned to her own time, and she knew she would have to do some research. Was Albion in any immediate danger? And was Arthur here too? If not, how would she find Avalon again? She was so lost in thought that she nearly walked past her own house, and she knew what she would do while she had it to herself. Going inside, she rifled through her bookcases and pulled out every book on the Arthurian legends she owned.

"Hello?" Her father called as he walked through the front door. Alethea was sorting through a rather large pile of notes and she smiled as she heard him.

"Hi dad!" She said as she got to her feet and hugged him. She had truly missed her parents and so she was glad to see them once more. "How was work?"

"What's with the hug?" He asked, a little suspicious.

"Can't a daughter hug her father?"

"What do you want?"

"Nothing." Alethea said as he walked inside the living room. "How was work?" She repeated.

"It was fine. How was college?"

"Same as always." She shrugged.

"Got any homework?"

"A little." She admitted.

"And you're doing it now?"

"I…"

"The sooner you do it, the sooner you can relax." He pointed out, and she knew he was speaking sense. "What do you want for dinner?"

"I have no idea." She told him truthfully. She was far too used to eating roast dinners and all the food that a Medieval banquet entailed, and yet she was aware that there were far more options available to her now. Though she did not want to upset her stomach too much, she was desperate for a change.

"Well, we have pizza, pasta, curry, or we could go to the Chinese?" He offered, and her mouth watered at the suggestions.

"Pizza?" She suggested, figuring that bread and cheese wouldn't do her too much harm.

"Your wish is my command."

She went to bed feeling rather nervous that night. She had spent the evening with her parents, content to just spend time with them and listen to them discuss various things, but as she retired she had no idea where she would wake up in the morning. Would she still be at home? Or would she be back on Avalon? Eventually she drifted off to sleep, her mind still thinking of her husband and his friends. It came as no surprise to her then that she dreamt of Camelot, but when she woke up she found herself still at home. That meant she would have to find out why she was here, which meant finding Avalon, and she could only hope that she could see her husband again.

The half term holiday flew by, as Alethea spent much of her days reading, doing homework, and spending time with her friends and family. She had decided to read through all her college notes in an attempt not to fall behind, and her spare time was spent looking through the Arthurian legends. She had told her parents that it was a college project, and so they had not questioned it. Of course, reading about Camelot made her feel somewhat homesick, and she truly missed Arthur, Merlin, Ingrid and the others. She had no doubt that her absence would have been noticed by now, and she hoped that no one would get into trouble looking for her. The most frustrating thing for Alethea was that she was unable to settle. She was unsure as to how long she would have here at home, and if it was only a visit then she could find herself back on Avalon at any given moment. However, if it was part of the prophecy then was Arthur in this world trying to find her? Or had it been misinterpreted? If she was needed by Albion now, then what was she needed for?

Monday morning soon rolled around, and Alethea was back to college. Her homework was all completed and she had made herself a map so she knew where each of her lessons were to be held. She also had a separate notebook in which she was both recording her experiences in Camelot and making notes of anything she needed to catch up on. Making sure that she had her phone and keys, she was a little confused as to why she was feeling nervous, but she put it down to it being her first proper day back. Other than that, there was absolutely nothing special about it.

"Only a few weeks to go until Christmas!" Her mother said as the radio discussed shops putting decorations on sale earlier each year. Alethea smiled sadly as she grabbed her things together and found a travel mug of tea waiting on the table.

"Not long until the next holidays then."

"Then don't you have exams?" Alethea paled, for she had completely forgotten their existence.

"I believe so."

"Well, you've got a few months. Shouldn't you be heading off?"

"Just need to put my coat on."

"Best wrap up warm. Winter is on its way." Alethea just reached for her scarf and coat and put them on, before putting her headphones in.

"I'll see you later mum. I love you!" She called before setting off.

She was still feeling nervous as she walked, and it was as she reached the second set of traffic lights that she realised why. A tall blonde teenage boy was walking ahead of her, dressed in a black winter coat, and he looked incredibly familiar. For one moment Alethea thought it was Arthur, but as he turned his head she found that she was wrong. She tried to place him in her memory, and it bugged her all the way to college. Though she tried to catch up with him, he was quicker than her and by the time she reached the college entrance he was long gone. Reaching the main building, she opened the first of two big glass doors and did not see the other person coming the other way. Unable to move out of the way in time, she felt the door hit her head, and she fell to the floor, her vision darkening. The last thing she saw was the blonde boy leaning over her, a file clutched in his arms.

"Arthur?" She whispered, before she fell into darkness.


	4. Friends and First Days

".. she going to be alright?"

"She's just coming around now. A sore head for a few days and a couple of bruises, but she should be fine."

"I honestly didn't see her…" Alethea winced as the sound was loud and her skull felt like it was about to explode. Her eyelids flickered and she could feel coarse matting beneath her hands, while someone was checking her pulse.

"Ah, here we are. Hello." She was greeted by the college nurse, and Alethea winced as the light hurt her eyes.

"Ow…" she groaned as she tried to sit up, and then cursed as her vison was full of dark spots. "What… ?" She asked softly as she clutched her head.

"I am so sorry!" The blonde boy apologised. He was hovering over her nervously, looking very concerned. "I…"

"How many fingers am I holding up?" the nurse asked, and Alethea answered correctly each time, though her head really hurt. "Okay, I think you need to go home. Rest up and if you start to feel worse then you may need to be checked out at the hospital."

"But…" she tried to protest, but felt too weak to do so. All she could do was take the offered hand and be led to a chair. The nurse went to call her parents while the blonde boy stood in front of the former queen, her bag in his hands.

"I really am sorry." He apologised.

"It's fine." She gave him a slight smile. "I've survived worse." He looked a little confused, but she was too busy trying not to close her eyes again. "You're going to be late for class." She pointed out as the bell rang.

"I…" he looked torn. "If you're sure you'll be alright?"

"I swear it."

"I'll see you around." He said before striding back towards the big doors. Alethea barely noticed him go.

Her father picked her up shortly after, and she spent the rest of the day lying on the sofa watching TV, while her dad looked after her. She was thankful that the pain killers had helped to ease her headache, and so by five o'clock she was feeling much more human. She wondered how much she had missed, but her friends had messaged her throughout the day to make sure she would be alright. Astrid had joked about Alethea falling for a man, but the former queen did not find that as funny as it could be. After all, she still loved Arthur, and she sincerely doubted that she would fall for another. However, the blonde boy had looked incredibly familiar, and she wondered if she would be able to work out why this was. He hadn't given a name, and she had no idea whether she would see him again. All she knew was that she knew him from somewhere.

It was after supper that the knock on the front door came, and her father answered as they were all confused as to who it would be. The voices were quiet, but her dad reappeared a moment later with a smile on his face.

"Are you up for visitors?"

"Who is it?" She asked, but nodded. He gestured to the front door and she stared in shock as the blonde boy appeared in the hallway.

"I am sorry for just appearing." He began. "But you dropped this earlier." He handed over her college planner, and Alethea stared at it. She hadn't even realised it was missing. "And I wanted to apologise properly for this morning. I hope I didn't cause too much damage."

"How did you…?"

"Your address is inside." He pointed out.

"Oh…" she was very confused as to what this stranger was doing in her house.

"And I was passing by anyway."

"You were?"

"I live just by the river." The boy explained. "Just moved last week."

"Oh…" Alethea knew this sounded very familiar, and there was something nagging away in her memory. "Well, thank you for returning it."

"I am truly sorry about this morning. I really did not see you in the door."

"As I said, I've survived worse." She shrugged. "I'm Alethea by the way."

"Henry." He smiled. "I should probably leave you to rest."

"I'll see you around." She told him as he left. She watched as he walked past the front window and then felt her memories come flooding back. This was the young man who had been in her fevered dreams when she was near-death. This was the boy who had been there when she had been pulled back to Camelot. He was the one who she had dated… But she had never even met him before she reached Camelot, so how was he here? And how was he even real? What did this even mean for the future?

She barely slept that night, for she was tormented by memories and she was desperately trying to work out what this meant. She knew she would have to keep Henry at arms' length, yet she needed to know if his appearance meant that she would find Arthur soon. If it was the case that she had to return to Avalon though, she was unsure if she would be willing to do so. After all, she was just about settling back into modern life, and she didn't want to leave her family again. Sighing deeply as dawn began to break, Alethea gave up on the idea of sleep and began to write down what she could remember of Henry.

The following morning found her walking to college, her head still a bit tender, but she had no intention on losing another day with her friends. She was dosed up on painkillers and tea, and she hoped it would be enough to get her through the classes. Thankfully it was a rather short day, and that gave her the rest of the day to catch up on everything she had missed.

"Ali! Wait up!" The former queen came to a stop by the church and was rather surprised to find the blonde boy racing after her. He caught up with her just a moment later, and he flashed a grateful smile. "I thought it was you."

"How long have you been following me?"

"Since the bridge." He shrugged. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better." She told him as they started walking again. "But I've been worse."

"I am truly sorry…"

"You've apologised already." She pointed out.

"Well how can I make it up to you?"

"What?"

"I mean it. Can I do anything for you to…?"

"I'm not being rude, but we barely know each other."

"Well, can I at least buy you a drink in the café?" He offered, and she sighed. Alethea truly had no idea how to act around him, and though she did not wish to get too close to him, she knew he would be difficult to avoid, especially as he lived so close to her.

"Fine, but no more apologies, and I don't like my name being shortened."

"Very well." He smiled slightly as he clutched his folder to his chest.

"I take it yesterday was your first day?" She asked him after a moment's silence.

"It was. I had been picking everything up at reception when I ran into you." He explained. "It seems I have a lot of catching up to do."

"It shouldn't take you too long." She assured him, feeling grateful that they were not too far from the college now. "I mean, its half a term's worth, but you only need to find someone who is willing to let you copy their notes and then read the books or whatever…"

"It depends on the subjects too." He pointed out. "So what time do you finish today?"

"Why?"

"Just wondered if you'd be walking back at the same time." He shrugged and Alethea rolled her eyes.

"I finish at two." This seemed to be the right answer, for he smiled widely.

"Meet you by the gates?"

"Maybe." She shrugged. "I mean, it depends on how long it takes for me to track down teachers for yesterday's stuff."

"Fair." They turned through the college gates and headed towards the café. Here Henry went to buy two drinks while Alethea messaged her friends to see if any of them would get here early. Unfortunately, she was to be left alone with Henry until first lesson, but he was soon talking about the town he had moved from in Nottinghamshire, and Alethea was content simply to listen.

The first class flew by, and she was rather glad to find that April had already copied her notes from yesterday so Alethea was not far behind. She was grateful that there was little teasing, and she focused purely on the case study in front of her, trying not to dwell on Henry. She was curious as to who he was and why he had appeared now, but she knew it may be a dangerous game getting too close to him. After all, he did seem friendly enough and she already felt relaxed in his company, which was not a good thing. She was loyal to Arthur, and she could return to him at any given moment. She could not- would not- allow herself to fall for another. Nor could she let him fall for her.

She walked to History in silence, already feeling the cup of tea wearing off, and then took her seat at the back of the class. The other students came piling in, shortly followed by their teacher, and Alethea was surprised to find that Henry was now in her class. The only empty seat was next to her, and he flashed her a smile while the teacher began talking about kingship in the Tudor era.

"I have yesterday's notes if you want to have a look." Henry offered, and Alethea nodded. She had no doubt that he would be wishing to copy her notes from he first part of term in exchange, but that was not the worst thing.

The pair ended up working together for the rest of the class, and as she gave him directions for his next lesson, she was glad to have a free hour. She headed straight to the café and bought a large cup of tea before finding the table where her friends were sat. They smiled at her as she sat down, before asking how she was and just what had happened yesterday. Alethea was more than happy to oblige.

Two O'clock found her gathering up her things and heading to the gates. She was not surprised to find Henry waiting for her, and they were soon heading back to their homes. Feeling rather tired, Alethea wasn't really in the mood for an in-depth conversation, and so she was happy to let him talk about his day. They were half way across the river when he hesitated, and then decided to ask what other subjects she was doing. Alethea rattled them off, and he smiled once again.

"I know this is very forward of me, especially as we have only known each other a day, but could you help me catch up?"

"It will take more than one evening." She warned as they wandered past the top of the retail park. "But I could do with a refresh anyway, what with exams coming soon."

"I take it tonight would be too soon?" Alethea could not contain her laughter.

"That is far too forward!" She told him. "Shall we say tomorrow? I mean, I need to gather my notes together and ask my parents."

"Tomorrow it is then."

Every evening for the rest of the week found Alethea sitting on the sofa in Henry's lounge, talking him through everything they had covered in the three subjects they shared, and deciphering her handwriting for him. They were quickly becoming firm friends, and Alethea was glad to have something to distract her from her search for Arthur. Though she knew she could be returned to Avalon at any given moment, she knew she had to live her life as normally as possible. It hurt not being able to talk about Camelot with anyone, but she was grateful to have her parents and her friends around her. After all, she had missed them terribly.

"Mr Smith really enjoys setting essays, doesn't he?"

"I swear that he's asked for one a week so far." Alethea sighed as Henry finished copying her history notes. "You can have a copy of mine if you want. I can get them copied at the library…"

"Or I could scan them?" He suggested, and Alethea was a little confused. "I have a scanner upstairs."

"Then why have you been writing my notes out when you could simply have scanned them?" She asked and he laughed.

"Because it won't go in if I just read them." He explained. "It shouldn't take too long." He grabbed the pieces of paper and headed upstairs, gesturing for her to follow. Alethea did so, and was instantly amazed at how clean his room was. She had always expected teenage boys to be messy, but this room was pristine. Everything had its own place, and there were no boxes waiting to be unpacked. She looked out of the window and found a beautiful view of the river, before turning to look at the very full bookcase next to the wardrobe.

"Anything take your fancy?" He asked as he finished scanning the essays.

"Do you mind if I borrow some?"

"It's the least I can do." He told her. "Which ones?"

"Those on the Arthurian legends." She said, noticing that he had a number of books that she had never come across. "It's a bit of a side project."

"You like the legends?"

"I love them." And was a part of them, she thought.

"Me too. Who doesn't want to step into Camelot and be a knight in shining armour or a beautiful lady in King Arthur's Court?"

"They are a good book to escape to." She agreed, trying to hide the sorrow in her voice. More than anything she wanted to be back with her husband and their friends. "So, what is left?"

"I think that is everything I need for history, geography and geology." He paused. "I don't suppose you've done the homework for them yet?"

"That's tomorrow's job." She told him before seeing the time. "And I should be heading home, or my mum is going to kill me."

"I'll see you on Monday then?"

"Meet you at my gate at eight fifteen?"

"See you then." He smiled as he handed her a few books and her notes. Alethea threw them in her bag, went downstairs and put her coat on. "Have a good weekend." He wished.

"You too." She smiled before heading home, wondering just what on Earth the next few weeks would bring.


	5. Searches and Spells

Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King, had no idea what to do. For the first time in centuries, he was at a complete loss. He had no plan, and he was missing his wife terribly. Alethea was gone, and he had no idea if he would ever see her again. No one had been able to tell him if she would return to Avalon at all, and he was not able to go after her thanks to the prophecy. Apparently all he could do was remain on the island, waiting for the time when Albion needed him, and hope that he would see Alethea again. Though he had lived in Camelot without her once before, he had at least known that they would one day be reunited. Not knowing if he would ever see her again was killing him, especially as their last words had been in anger.

He had regretted arguing with her from the moment she had ran, and only now did he realise just how much she meant to him. He felt lost without her by his side, and his heart ached terribly. She was truly his soulmate, and without her he was not sure what to do. She had been the one that had kept him going for so long, and he had relied heavily on her counsel and advice. She had always done her best to cheer him up and yet not once had he considered the toll that this life was having on her. Of course, he would have felt the same way if it had been Camelot that he could see from the Blessed Isle. He would give anything just to spend one more day in the citadel with his father. How could he have been so stupid not to realise that his wife would want the same with her parents?

Sighing deeply, Arthur found a secluded spot on the shore and sat down on a large rock, skimming stones into the water. He felt helpless and trapped, and he desperately wanted to find Alethea, though he knew he was not able to. They were in different worlds now, and he could only hope that they would be reunited soon. Certainly this was not the first time that they had been separated, and it had not been the first time they had argued either. The pair of them had gotten through so much together, and now they were separated by a prophecy.

Of course, things hadn't always been easy for them. Their first meeting had been disastrous, as Arthur had practically sentenced Alethea to death by accusing her of witchcraft, though in all fairness she had just appeared out of nowhere, and then she had been imprisoned. Alethea had then become the apprentice of a sorceress hell bent on Camelot's destruction, but this had been no fault of her own. The student had returned to Camelot as a warrior, and Arthur had never forgiven himself for nearly killing her that day. From the very first moment that Alethea had arrived in Camelot, Arthur Pendragon had been captivated by her. At first he had merely wished to learn more about her and the place she had come from, but then he had fallen hopelessly in love with her. Of course, he had not expected for her to leave, and he had never suffered such heartache before that point. He had been glad when he had rescued her from Nimueh, and he had known then that he wanted Alethea for his wife. He had never really considered what he had been asking her to sacrifice when he had proposed, yet she had become his wife anyway. She had remained by his side ever since, helping him to shape Camelot into a place of legend, and helping them through the darker times.

Alethea had given him everything he had ever wanted. She was the mother of his child, a good wife, and his best friend. She had provided everlasting support and was his best advisor. He loved her more than anything, and even now, after spending centuries together, he would do anything for her. That was why he had asked if it would be possible for her to return to her parents. He hated seeing her upset, and would do anything to make her happy. Though he had not wanted her to leave him, her happiness was more important. After all, he knew what it was like to miss home, and he would have taken the chance without a second thought if he had been in her shoes. Sighing, he just wished that he could be with her.

"It won't do you any good sire." Arthur looked up to find Sir Leon leaning on a tree.

"What can I do for you?" The blonde Pendragon asked, and Leon smiled slightly.

"The Lady Morgana is looking for you." The knight explained. "Alethea will be alright you know, and if I know anything then it is that she will be trying to get back here."

"Will she though Leon?" Arthur asked as he turned back to face the lake. "She is back with her parents, where she belongs. She might not even remember me." Leon was quiet for a moment as he stepped forwards and placed a reassuring hand on the king's shoulder.

"She will not have forgotten you entirely. Camelot is legendary in her time."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because she told me about it when I first arrived here." Leon explained. "Even if she has forgotten about her own experience, she will not have forgotten you or the Citadel."

"I hope you're right." Arthur was not convinced. "Where is Morgana?"

"The library."

"Did she say why she wanted to see me?"

"No." Leon said as Arthur hopped down from his seat and walked towards the path. "I believe she wishes to help sire, as do we all." The king said nothing.

Morgana was indeed in the library, and Arthur was more than a little confused to find Gwen, Merlin and Ingrid also sitting at the large table in the middle of the room. All of them were surrounded by piles of books, and they seemed to be looking for something.

"Leon said you were looking for me." Arthur said softly as he joined his friends in the room.

"I was." Morgana smiled as she put down a heavy book. A cloud of dust escaped from its pages, and Arthur was more confused. Just what on Earth was she up to? "How are you?"

"I…" He hesitated, not really wanting to admit the truth. "I miss her."

"We all do." Morgana agreed. "Which is why we are trying to work out how to get her back here."

"What?" Arthur blinked. "She left of her own accord. She doesn't…"

"I don't think she did." Merlin interjected as he closed the book he had been looking through. "It is not like her to not apologise, or leave some explanation as to where she had gone. She said nothing to any of us, and it is not like Alethea to not say goodbye."

"So either Albion needs her, or the prophecy is wrong." Ingrid pointed out, not looking up from the scroll she was reading.

"How is this going to help? I cannot go after her! Destiny forbids me from leaving this place until…"

"It does not forbid all of us." Gwen said. "The prophecy states only that Arthur and his men shall rise. It says nothing about us."

"But…." Arthur was trying to make sense of what they were saying, and then he smiled a little. "You would really do that? Risk everything to find her?"

"It is what she would do." Morgana pointed out. "We are still in the very early stages, and cannot promise anything, but…"

"We will do whatever we can." Merlin finished.

"It will take you years to go through all this." Arthur sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know that Alethea has that time…"

"Then we simply need more people looking."

"Won't that raise the attention of the Ladies?" Arthur asked, and Ingrid smiled.

"Not if we tell them that it's a competition. We all know how competitive the knights are, and that they love a challenge, regardless of what it is." The raven-haired lady pointed out. Arthur tried to object, and then relented.

"Very well. What am I looking for?"

Five days had passed since then, and, so far, no one had found anything that could help. Arthur was getting more and more restless, for the longer Alethea was away, the less likely she would be able to return. However, they were not prepared to give up just yet. Closing yet another book, the Once and Future King cursed in frustration, while Merlin gave him a slight smile. The others had retired to bed, but the sorcerer was not prepared to leave Arthur on his own. For that, the king was grateful.

"We will find something, I promise."

"But what if we don't Merlin? What if it's her destiny to stay there and never return?"

"Destiny's are tricky things, granted." The warlock sighed.

"That doesn't help." Arthur snapped.

"But I don't think she will have left you forever."

"What proof do you have Merlin?" Arthur asked, having grown tired of the constant pitying looks and reassurances from people. "How can you even say that?"

"I…" Merlin began, but Arthur just shook his head.

"Leave me."

"Are you…?"

"JUST GO!" Arthur yelled, and the warlock did as he was told.

The blonde Pendragon must have fallen asleep at the table, for he opened his eyes to find he had been using a chronicle for a pillow. Wincing at the ache in his joints, he was a little surprised to find Ingrid smiling at him, and he groaned as he was not in the mood for dealing with her games today.

"Good morning." She greeted.

"Where's Merlin?"

"Doing his job." Ingrid shrugged.

"He doesn't have a job."

"Well he seems to think he does." Ingrid pointed out, but Arthur just glared at her. "If you really must know, he's packing."

"Packing? Why? Where is he…?" Arthur's eyes widened as he realised what this meant.

"On a trip, duh!" Ingrid rolled her eyes.

"You mean…?" He was full of hope and Ingrid smiled.

"We think we may have found something." Arthur said nothing, but instead hugged her before sprinting to find the warlock.

Merlin was stood in Arthur's chambers, packing a bag full of clothes and supplies for a long journey, when the king burst in. Merlin looked up and grinned as he had never seen Arthur like this before, and he hoped that this would work. He really did want his friend to be reunited with his wife, and he was rather excited at the prospect of an adventure.

"She told you then?"

"You've found a way to leave Avalon?"

"There is no guarantee it will work." Merlin warned as he closed the bag. "So don't get your hopes up."

"We have to try it!" Arthur stated, and Merlin smiled.

"Then I suppose you ought to follow me."

Half an hour later found Arthur, Merlin and Ingrid standing in Alethea's favourite spot by the lake, all of them dressed for a long journey. They stood in a circle, holding hands as Ingrid and Merlin began to speak the spell, while Arthur could only hold his breath and pray that this would work.

"_Trwy nerth tinged, _

_Yr wyf yn galw arnat ti,_

_Ar gyfer brenin a'r frenhines I aduno,_

_Ond dym on dos bydd yr amser yr iawn"_


	6. College and Companions

Christmas soon came and went, and though Alethea did her best to enjoy it, she could not help but miss her husband and friends. She also missed Penny dearly, for her parents did not have any pets and she dared not risk getting one just in case she returned to Avalon soon. She spent her days reading and revising for the upcoming exams and she knew she ought to start looking at universities. Though the future was uncertain, she knew she had to keep acting as if her life would continue as normal. Her friends here were good at keeping her motivated and on the same track that all college students should be on, but even this was not enough to keep her entirely satisfied. After all, was there much point in stressing about exams when England could need her tomorrow? But then what would happen if England never needed Arthur while she was alive… She sighed deeply. She could only hope that she would be able to see him again before she died.

The next month seemed to be nothing but revision and exams, and so Alethea's birthday was a quiet affair. Not for the first time did she wish that her friends and her husband would return to her side, but with every day that passed by she lost hope. She knew that time on Avalon passed at a completely different rate to the rest of the world, but she had never been able to work it out. Even so, she knew Arthur would have noticed her absence by now and so should be looking for her. Was he searching every inch of the island for some sign? Or had he believed that she had left of her own accord and so decided not to pursue her? She did miss him terribly, and with every day that passed she wished that she had not been quite so desperate to leave the island. She had not been able to say goodbye to anyone before she had left, and her last words to Arthur still haunted her. She deeply regretted their argument, though she knew that there was nothing to be done about it. She simply had to live her life as normally as possible until she found Avalon or Arthur found her. The most difficult thing of all was adjusting to the modern way of life when she had spent so long living in the past. Things that had been normal to her before Camelot had now become rather difficult to master and she had done her best to teach herself on certain items of technology. She also had no one she could discuss the past with, for no one would ever believe that she had been to Camelot and married King Arthur. After all, Camelot, Arthur and Avalon were all merely legends.

So Alethea devoted herself to her studies. She missed Arthur dearly, but she could not mope around waiting to be rescued, for that was not what she did. Instead she focused on getting good grades so that she could go to university, and continued compiling research as to the whereabouts of Avalon. The next eighteen months flew by in a flurry of essays, exams and studying, and before she knew it, Alethea had sat her final A-Level exam. Of course, there had been plenty of shopping and cinema trips with friends, and she had developed a strong friendship with Henry during this time. It all helped to distract herself from her heartache, and she had adapted now to this way of life. She was determined to make the most of every moment, and nothing could stop her from enjoying the life of an ordinary teenager.

It was to be a long wait for results day and Alethea hoped that she had done enough to get into her chosen university. In the meantime, her parents took her on holiday to the West Country, and she thoroughly enjoyed visiting places she had not seen since her childhood. Cheddar Gorge was especially a favourite, and on the last day she wandered around the caves in awe with her father, while her mother waited outside.

"We were thinking of stopping off at Glastonbury tomorrow before we head home." He told her as they reached the furthest point from the cave mouth. Alethea felt her heart drop, for she knew that this was supposed to be where Avalon was located. She had been so swept up in exams and university preparations that she had almost forgotten of her quest to find Arthur recently. She was not really prepared to leave right now, for she had not even said goodbye to her friends, and she had no wish to leave her parents again, even though she missed her husband.

"That will be good." She commented as they took a few photos.

"If you want we can do the Abbey and perhaps even the Tor… I know how much you've wanted to visit."

"What did mum say?"

"She's the one who suggested it." Her father pointed out. "Come on, I know what will cheer you up."

"What's that?"

"Ice cream." They smiled.

Late the next morning found Alethea stood on top of Glastonbury Tor, amazed at the beauty of the landscape that surrounded her, and yet feeling very disheartened. She had climbed up the steps feeling torn, not wanting to leave her family yet needing to know if this was where she was supposed to be. She desperately wanted to see Arthur and her friends again, yet she did not want to leave when she was so close to accomplishing a lifelong dream. But she had reached the ruined church tower to find no sign of Avalon or the Blessed Isle. It seemed her research these past two years had been all for nothing. Glastonbury was supposed to be where Avalon was. That was what had been agreed by almost every historian who had written about Arthur, and she had found no evidence to suggest otherwise. Yet she had spent the morning exploring the town for any signs of the Blessed Isle, and found nothing. This had been her only hope for so long, and now… Now she was forced to accept that she may never find Avalon again. Sinking onto the bench next to the church tower, she let her tears fall.

She missed her husband and her friends terribly, and she was desperate to see them again. With every day that passed she was losing hope that she would be reunited with them, and there was still no sign of Albion needing Arthur. Though she refused to accept that she would never see them again, she also knew that she could not keep on going like this. It was close to two years since she had first arrived back home, and it was taking its toll on her. Not knowing if she would see her husband again hurt, as did the not knowing how much time she had with her family. She was truly trapped between two worlds, and it was breaking her heart. She knew she had to acknowledge that this may be part of the prophecy, and that she had to keep on going. She had to live her life as normally as possible, and it pained her terribly. No one would understand the real reason she was doing this, and she had no idea what to do. So many people had devoted their lives to finding Camelot and Avalon and found nothing, and she could not do the same.

As her phone pinged, Alethea sighed deeply. She had spent most of her holiday wondering what she would do if she had found Avalon here. Would she have left this world to return to Arthur? Given up her family once more? Or would she have just decided to stay here? Made her choice once and for all? Lord knew she had letters in her case explaining where she had gone, and she had not really expected to return to her house. Alethea had been mentally preparing herself for this trip for months, and yet…. Yet it felt as if it had all been for nothing. Drying her eyes, she took a few deep breaths before walking around the church tower and taking some photos. At the very least she could cross this place off the list and then try elsewhere. By no means was she going to give up her search entirely, but she could not miss the chance of chasing her dreams.

"I will find you again Arthur. I swear it!" She spoke aloud, her words lost in the Summer breeze. Taking one last look at the view, she turned and headed back to her parents.

The day before Results Day found a rather stressed group of friends meeting in the park on the outskirts of town. All of them were to desperately trying to distract themselves from the decisions that would be made about universities, and they knew that this would be the last chance they would have to properly meet up for some time. Therefore they had raided the nearest supermarket for picnic supplies and set up camp by the terrapin pond. A few old blankets were doubling up as picnic blankets and a large spread of snacks, sandwiches and cakes were sat on them. Alethea smiled as she sipped her drink, content to listen to her friends talk and watch as families ran around in the grass.

"Do you think we'll still meet up while we're at university?" April asked as she reached for a sandwich.

"I hope so." Danni said as she cleaned her sunglasses on her shirt.

"I don't want to think otherwise." Astrid shook her head.

"We'll just have to visit each other!" Henry pointed out. "I mean, it's the perfect excuse to travel around the country!"

"I suppose that is what reading weeks are for." Astrid smiled while Alethea rolled her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure that those are actually meant for reading." The former queen pointed out. "But I'm happy to come visit as and when I can."

"It'll certainly be an adventure." Lucy grinned.

"We're all going to be grown-ups."

"God help us all!" Astrid joked and they all laughed.

"So what are the plans for the rest of the summer?"

"Probably spent getting ready to move out." Lucy said as she topped up everyone's glasses.

"My mum has already been packing for weeks." Alethea told them.

"Obviously can't wait to get rid of you." Henry teased.

"Oi!" Alethea playfully shoved him, and he looked at her with menace in his eyes. She giggled nervously and quickly put down her plate, ready to run.

"I'll get you for that."

"You'll have to catch me first!" She yelled, already on her feet and sprinting off towards the trees. Henry hesitated, not quite sure what his plan was, before he was nudged by Astrid.

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Save us some cake!" He told the group before he set off after Alethea.

The former queen had paused for breath behind a large oak tree, and she grinned as she realised that she was in one of the quietest areas of the park. It was highly unlikely that anyone would find her here, and she giggled as she realised she had not played hide and seek for years. Though she had spent many of her younger years at this place, it all felt very new yet familiar. It was rather refreshing, but also a painful reminder of everything she had given up. It seemed that she would not win whichever way she turned, for she had given this life up for Camelot, and had sacrificed her husband for home. Either way there was an exceedingly heavy price to pay. Sighing, she walked through the trees and wondered just what the future held in store.

"Found you!" She turned around in time to see Henry running towards her, and the next minute she was on the floor being tickled by him. She laughed and squirmed out of the way, before shaking her head at him.

"You know I hate that."

"You looked like you needed cheering up." He pointed out. "And it worked because you're smiling."

"Pfft…" She ran a hand through her hair before dusting herself down.

"I'm sure you will have done amazingly and have gotten into uni." He assured her as he got to his feet.

"I hope so." She sighed, wondering not for the first time if she should tell him the truth. It had been playing on her mind for quite some time, especially as he was her closest and dearest friend.

"I'm certain this won't be the last time we all get together either."

"I know." She sighed. "I suppose we ought to head back before the others eat all the goodies."

"Race you?" He suggested, and they both took to their heels once more.

Alethea could barely sleep that night for nerves, and she jolted awake just before dawn to find a couple of messages from her course mates. Realising that the universities had announced who they were accepting before they had gotten their exam results, Alethea instantly clicked onto her online account and then jumped out of bed grinning. She hurried downstairs to find her mother sat on the sofa in a dressing gown, clutching a cup of coffee, and Alethea could not resist playing a trick. Trying to look quite glum, she walked into the room and gave heavy sigh.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"No." Alethea sighed. "I've just looked online. The universities have been contacting people already."

"And?" Her mother asked hopefully. Alethea did her best to look sad. "Oh Alethea, I'm sure we can figure something out. Don't…" But the student could not hide her glee any longer.

"I got in mum! I'm going to university!"


	7. Journeys and Journals

Arthur Pendragon, mighty warrior and legendary Once and Future King, was not expecting much when the two sorcerers had spoken, yet just seconds later the world around them started to spin. It was a rather odd sensation, and it made him feel very dizzy. As the world came to a standstill once more, Arthur took a step forwards and then swore as he tripped up. He landed in a very muddy puddle, which caused the two magicians to giggle, for they were seemingly unaffected by the spell.

"Did it work?" Arthur asked as Merlin helped him to his feet. Ingrid was smirking as she took in the state of the former king, but she looked around all the same.

"I'm not sure." Merlin said, frowning.

"Well has anything changed?" They all looked around then, and realised that they were no longer standing in Avalon. There was no lake nearby and there were far fewer trees. It appeared that they were on the crest of a hill, for they could see for miles around them, and then Merlin frowned as he realised that the fields were not like those in Camelot. Arthur was staring at a house in the distance, while Ingrid was watching something roar across the sky. It was certainly different, but was it the right period?

"How do we know that this is the right place?" Arthur asked. "And how do we even start to track down my wife?"

"Have patience." Ingrid said softly as Merlin picked up the bags. Taking pity on the blonde Pendragon, the warlock cast a spell to clean him up and Arthur gave an appreciative smile. "We can find her. First of all we need to work out where we are. Then we can go to her home town."

"How do you even know where her town is?"

"She spoke about it frequently to us." Merlin pointed out. "We know enough to be able to get to her town."

"Then we simply need to find her house." Ingrid said. "I mean, how difficult can it be?"

"We do have help too." Merlin smiled as he produced a very familiar looking journal from a bag. Arthur stared at it and then at his friend in horror.

"What are you doing with that?" The King asked.

"I found it while we were looking for Alethea."

"Don't tell me that's her diary."

"It's more of a journal really…"

"Merlin!" Ingrid and Arthur chorused, both horrified.

"What?"

"You cannot just read a lady's diary! It's personal! Contains things you never want anyone else to know!" Ingrid pointed out. Merlin had the decency to look a little bit ashamed.

"Please don't tell me you've read it." Arthur said, and Merlin shook his head as he returned the book to the bag.

"I figured you may be the best person to do that." Merlin admitted, and Arthur sighed.

"Which way shall we go?" Ingrid asked, changing the topic.

"Shall we go this way?" Merlin suggested as he spotted a signpost.

"It is as good a start as any." Arthur shrugged, and so the trio started to descend the hill.

It took the best part of an hour to reach the bottom and they did not meet anyone on their way. They were mostly quiet as they walked, all trying to work out what the best way was to find Alethea and wondering how long it would take them. They had no idea what this world had in store, and each hoped that it would not be too difficult to adapt to it. They had just reached a gate when the dark clouds above them started to release drops of water, and all of them groaned.

"Look, there's a building over there. We can try and seek shelter." Merlin pointed to a log cabin by the side of the gravel path, and so they all hurried towards it. They reached the door just as the heavens opened, and all breathed a sigh of relief as they realised they weren't going to get soaked.

Arthur opened the door and then stared inside in wonder. He had been expecting to find a reed floor with simple furnishings, yet was greeted by bright lights, white walls covered in information panels, and a cheery young man standing behind a counter. There were books and pamphlets everywhere, yet there appeared to be no one else present.

"Hiding from the rain?" The young man asked. He wore dark trousers and a green polo shirt with a gold tree embellished above his heart. He smiled as Ingrid and Merlin came in behind Arthur, and gestured for them to take a seat. "You're welcome to stay here until it's gone."

"Thank you." Merlin said as Ingrid started to read one of the boards. Arthur meanwhile tried not to look too surprised, but this place was a world away from what he was used to. The writing on the panels was far too neat and consistent to be written by hand, and the pictures were too lifelike to be drawings. A small rectangle sat on the table, constantly changing pictures, and everything was made of unfamiliar materials. Though Alethea had told him her world was different, she had never been able to completely convey just how much had changed.

"Can I get any of you a drink? There's no charge."

"Please." Merlin smiled slightly, trying to hide his own shock. Of them all, Ingrid was the only one to be taking this situation in her stride.

"Tea? Coffee? Hot chocolate?"

"Water please."

"Water it is." The assistant said before disappearing into the little kitchen.

"Right, this is a bit of a culture shock, I know." Ingrid said as she joined the two men at the table. "But I think we are off to a good start."

"What do you mean?"

"This is an information centre." She pointed out. "And apparently there used to be a village nearby in our time."

"Which kingdom are we in?" Arthur asked, and Ingrid smiled for she knew the answer.

"We're in Wessex." She stated. "Well, it was Wessex. It's got a different name now. It's the same for Mercia."

"Very well." Merlin said, as he watched the screen change from a picture of a blue tit to one of a robin. "That means we should head north."

"North is a good start." Arthur agreed. "We need to find a town on the crossing point of a river."

"That narrows it down a bit." Ingrid said.

"And we know that _Dewa_ is about two days walk away from it…." Merlin pointed out.

"What we could really do with is a map." Arthur looked at his friends hopefully, but neither produced one.

"A map you say?" The assistant asked as he brought out three cups and a jug of water. "Where is it you are looking to go?"

"Mercia." Merlin said, and the young man smiled as he took in their clothes.

"Ah, on a quest are we?"

"Something like that."

"Well, I am sure I can find something for you."

"Thank you, Robert." Ingrid said, having spotted the name badge. "Unfortunately we don't have any form of payment…"

"This is an information centre. It's free." He pointed out as he returned to the counter and typed something into a larger screen. Arthur watched him curiously, and a few moments later they were asked another question.

"Are you looking for somewhere specifically in Mercia? Only it was a very large kingdom…"

"The Roman city of _Dewa._" Merlin said.

"Chester then? I hear it's a lovely place. Really ought to visit at some point…" Robert mused. Just a moment later found him handing them a few sheets of paper with a map and directions on it. He also had a booklet full of things to do around Chester complete with a map of the surrounding areas.

"Thank you." Arthur said gratefully. "I don't know how we can ever repay you."

"I'm only doing my job." Robert shrugged. "It looks like the rain has stopped."

"We had best be on our way." Ingrid said, and the men agreed.

"Good luck on your quest." He wished, waving the trio off.

"Well that was lucky." Merlin said as they followed the track down to the main road.

"It was very lucky." Ingrid agreed.

"How long will it take us?"

"This reckons a few days." Arthur explained as he studied the map. "But I think it'll be more like a week."

"A week?" Ingrid groaned, not wanting to walk for that long. "How far away is it?"

"About a hundred miles."

"I don't suppose we know a quicker way?" Ingrid asked, looking at Merlin.

"I don't." he shook his head. "We don't have horses, so unless Alethea mentioned anything…"

"I'll have a look when we stop this evening." Arthur said. "Not that I really want to read her journal."

"Do you want me to look?" Ingrid offered. Arthur considered it for a moment, before realising that Alethea had probably written about him and there were some things that no one else should know.

"Thank you, but no." He said. "We should probably try to work out where we are going to stay tonight."

"I'm sure we can find a tavern on the way."

"I don't think it works like that anymore." Ingrid said as they heard loud roaring coming from nearby. "What is that noise?" Arthur instinctively reached for his sword while Merlin was on edge. The three of them kept walking, prepared for a fight with a wild beast, and then the trees came to a stop. Instead they found a grey road covered in painted markings, and a large metal box on wheels roared past them.

"What the…?" They chorused. Another one followed, and the trio stood still on the edge of the forest.

"It appears to be some form of transport." Merlin pointed out after three more of varying size and colour had gone past them.

"This must be a road then." Ingrid stated. "There's another signpost across it."

"Then we keep onwards." Arthur said. The three made sure that there were no more cars coming and hurried across.

It was getting colder and the sun was getting lower in the sky by the time they reached a field full of tents. All of them were tired and aching and wanted nothing more than to rest. Upon reaching the gate they were greeted by a young man with raven-hair, and Ingrid smiled sweetly at him as he explained the fee for the night. No one noticed her eyes flash amber, but the man forgot all about the money and showed them to the best pitch available. Merlin retrieved the tent from his bag and set about putting it up while Arthur sat down and tried to use the remaining daylight to read part of Alethea's journal. It felt like a huge invasion of his wife's privacy, but they needed answers and he could only hope that this would help them find her. Certainly, he had no wish to spend any more time in this strange world than absolutely necessary.

"Found out anything useful yet?" Merlin asked a little while later as he handed him a bowl of stew. Arthur sighed.

"You're not the only one to call me a clotpole." The warlock couldn't help but laugh at that. "There are fleeting mentions of her home, but this is mostly about Camelot. I think she wrote this when she truly believed she would be able to return to her family…"

"She kept that book with her all the time she was queen though." Ingrid pointed out, having finished making the tent comfortable. Travelling with magicians did have its advantages.

"You're saying to keep going?"

"Try half way through." She said. Arthur opened the book on his lap and found an entry dated a week before their wedding. He scanned through it as he ate some stew, and then sighed. It was only now that he was realising what he had asked Alethea to do when he had proposed. No wonder she had ran off when he had first asked. He had been wanting her to give up everything for him.

"Well…?" Ingrid prompted as Arthur finished reading the page.

"You're right. Ladies' journals are not meant to be read."

"What does she say?" Merlin asked.

"She mentions having doubts about marrying me. It's all the things she had to give up to become my wife." Arthur paused. "But though she talks of home, she does not say where it is."

"Then you shall just have to keep going."

They moved into the tent after eating, for it was getting much darker and colder now. Arthur sat on his bed, reading by lantern, and hoped that he would be forgiven for doing this. After all, if Alethea knew he had read her diary then there would be hell to pay. It was odd though, seeing the gap between entries and knowing what had happened in between them. It appeared that his wife went through phases of writing a lot down in short succession or left long periods of time. He was pondering this when he found an entry that would be useful, and the magicians looked hopeful.

"Here she talks about the different forms of transport." Arthur told them. "I think we saw cars on the road. They're like carriages, but without horses. She mentions them after we had been on a long journey."

"What else does she say?"

"There's a sketch of her college building and her house, helpfully." Arthur pointed out. "Of course! This entry is after our trip to visit Lord Bayard… She's actually compared her town to the one we knew."

"And?" Ingrid prompted.

"Well, she mentions it has two train stations, is on the crossing point of a river, and a market." Arthur paused as he continued reading. "It is also rather busy, and her college is near to a canal… whatever that is."

"It's a good start." Merlin said. "We can certainly ask for help at the next information centre we find."

"It does narrow it down. After all, how many towns can there be near Dewa?" Ingrid asked.

"Mmmm…" Arthur sighed before continuing to read. He had barely gotten ten more pages done when he heard soft snores coming from the nearby bed, and he smiled ever so slightly at the sleeping couple. They truly did look adorable together, and he was glad that the two sorcerers had insisted on helping him. He had no wish to be alone in this strange world, and then he realised just how scared Alethea would have been when she first arrived at Camelot. He was lucky in that he was here with friends to help him through. She had been alone. Sighing deeply as he settled down for the night, he could only hope that they would find her soon, and then everything could return to how it should be.


	8. Tents and Travels

Arthur Pendragon was trying desperately not to lose hope, but this world was so strange and unfamiliar, and he had no idea how they were going to find Alethea. Though her journal had been somewhat helpful, not once had she named her hometown and he was beginning to doubt that finding her was even the right thing to do. What if she didn't want to go back to Avalon? Or, worse, what if she could not return? Would he really be able to cope living for so long without her?

"Cheer up Arthur. We'll get there." Merlin said as they sat down in a small wooded area for lunch. Dark grey clouds loomed in the sky above them, and there was a definite smell of rain in the air, but they were all determined not to let the weather deter them.

"Please tell me we're not far from Chester." Ingrid begged as she sat on the blanket and rubbed her feet. She was truly unused to so much trekking, and unfortunately there was nothing they could do to speed things up.

"We should reach it tomorrow." Arthur assured her, for he too disliked the fact that they had been walking for days.

"Good. I don't know how much more my feet can take." The pair of nobles watched as Merlin placed a small amount of food on a plate and handed it to them.

"Is this really all we have left?" Arthur was a little surprised.

"I packed enough to last us a few days. I kind of assumed we'd be able to purchase some more." Merlin explained.

"Let us hope we can find something tomorrow then." The trio ate in silence, and all too soon they were back on the trail.

The clouds burst just over an hour later, and all they could do was pull the hoods of their cloaks up and keep going. Thankful that the magicians had waterproofed them, Arthur was glad not to be soaked through, but the weather did nothing to improve his mood. They had crossed Mercia's border a few days ago, so they knew that they were at least in the right territory, but this kingdom had covered a vast area. He could only hope that there were not many places which matched Alethea's descriptions, for he wanted to get back to Avalon as soon as possible.

"We can't keep on like this today." Ingrid called as the wind picked up and the rain got heavier. "This mud is treacherous!"

"We'll stop at the next place we find!" Merlin decided.

They found a small campsite just twenty minutes later, and the magicians wasted no time in setting up the tent. There was no sign of anyone to pay, and Arthur had an idea that they too were sheltering from the storm. Taking off his damp cloak, he sat down with Merlin and Ingrid, not quite knowing what to say. He hated feeling like this, and he had no idea what to do for the best. They had come too far to go back now, but he was truly doubting that Alethea would want to see him. After all, their last words had been in anger and if she was finally pursuing her childhood dreams, who was he to stop her?

The rain continued to fall throughout the night, but had stopped by the time the trio woke. All of them were hungry, but there was little to be done to solve this. Hunting and foraging were both out of the question, and though Merlin tried to magic some food, he failed miserably.

"I suppose we ought to get going." Ingrid said as her stomach rumbled. She was not looking forward to another day walking, especially when this hungry and with a miserable Arthur, but it seemed she had little choice.

"Are you sure you can't just use your magic to get us there?" Merlin asked.

"I have only ever managed to travel short distances with it." She paused. "Besides, I don't think I can do it when this hungry." The smell of frying bacon hit their nostrils, and they looked enviously at a young woman who was cooking breakfast while simultaneously packing up.

"Did you say you're hungry?" the young woman asked as she flipped the rashers. "Only I didn't eat all of my supplies and it seems a shame to throw them away."

"We forgot to pick up breakfast supplies yesterday." Merlin explained. "The rain kind of…"

"Typical British weather for you." She smiled. "It's not much, but it should keep you going for a while."

"thank you." Arthur, Merlin and Ingrid tucked in, and shortly afterwards they were on their way, feeling much more refreshed.

The city of Chester was very different to anything any of them had seen before. They had reached the outskirts just before lunch, and had been very confused as the houses became more frequent and closely packed together. The roads became busier and more people were around, so that by the time they reached the Roman walls, the trio were very aware of how much had changed in the thousand or so years since Camelot. It did not help that it was a Saturday, and so the shops were full of tourists and people shopping. Coming to a stop at the market cross, Arthur sat down and tried to work out what to do. A sandstone church was behind him, while on two streets there were rows of black and white Tudor buildings. The shops were all glass fronted and advertised their wares in the windows, while the smell of food cooking wafted from somewhere nearby. Everywhere looked so clean too, and there was no sign of any horses. The church bells chimed the hour, and Arthur knew he had never seen any place like this. No wonder Alethea had told him that he would hate her world.

"It's like Camelot on a market day!" Merlin commented as he sat next to the blonde Pendragon.

"I love it!" Ingrid grinned as she watched a group of young women walk past them. "I wish I could dress like that!" She pointed to a teenager with short blue hair, wearing a red tartan minidress with huge black boots covered in oversized buckles.

"Those dresses at our anniversary celebrations really were tame…" Arthur murmured.

"So many women are dressed like men." Merlin pointed out. "And the materials and colours are…"

"Nothing like we've seen before." Ingrid finished for him. "I wish we could have a better look around."

"We have a quest to finish." Arthur stated, while Ingrid pouted. "Well, which way do we go now?"

"There's a Tourist Information Centre just over there." Merlin said as he pointed to a signpost. "Maybe they can help?"

That evening found them camped in Delamere Forest, and it appeared that not much had changed here. Arthur was grateful for some sense of familiarity, even if it was bringing back memories of another quest for Alethea. Letting the magicians set up and prepare food, he took a walk and wondered just what he was going to say or do when they found his wife. He knew he had to apologise, but he also had to ask her to return to Avalon with him. He had no idea what he would do if she said no. He could not blame her though. He knew that she had given up much to be his wife, and the moment his father had died, Alethea had sacrificed all hope of returning to her home. She had never asked to be brought to Camelot, and yet she had done everything she could to help it become the place of legends. Surely she deserved to spend time with her family and pursue her own dreams now?

"I know that look Arthur." Merlin said as he caught up with him. "You're having second thoughts."

"I'm not sure I can ask her to give everything up again for me." The Once and Future King admitted. Merlin shook his head.

"You really don't know Alethea at all sometimes." The magician said. "I think she will want to come back."

"And if she can't?"

"We don't know that." Merlin assured him. "Right now we simply need to find her, and hopefully this time tomorrow we will have done just that."

"And then?"

"Then we find out if she left of her own accord." They were turning back towards the camp now, and Ingrid was sat outside the tent.

"Don't tell me you're having doubts now? Not after everything we've been through to get here?" She shook her head. "I have not walked for days in long dresses, in an unfamiliar world, for you to start having second thoughts!" She waved a wooden spoon at him threateningly.

"I was just thinking." Arthur shrugged.

"Well think of how happy she will be to see you." Ingrid told him. "Meanwhile, food is ready."

Arthur Pendragon could not sleep that night. Various scenarios were running through his head, and he had no idea how his wife would react to them just appearing on her doorstep. That was if they could find her house tomorrow. He had no doubt that the task of locating her home was more difficult than they had expected, purely because they had only ever thought of how small the towns were around Camelot. Never had he thought that settlements would increase so much in size since then. Getting out of bed just after the break of dawn, he sat in the fresh air and read Alethea's journal, desperately trying to find any hints about just where they would be able to find her.

"Ready to go?" Merlin asked, disrupting Arthur from his thoughts a few hours later.

"I think so."

"Good." Ingrid nodded as Merlin packed away the tent. "I say we find the college first. See if anyone knows if she's still there, or where she is now."

"What do you mean, if she's still there?" Merlin asked, while Ingrid sighed.

"Time works differently on Avalon. It may have been months or even years for Alethea, even though it's been days for us." She explained.

"Well, even if she is not still at college, we can still find her house." Arthur pointed out. "Shall we?"

So they followed the road out of the forest, and a few hours later found them on the outskirts of Alethea's hometown. The countryside slowly turned to rows of houses, and the roads became busier as they approached the centre of town. It was not long before they spotted the college building, and Arthur looked at Alethea's sketch of it before smiling. They had found it.

"We may have a slight issue." Merlin said, pointing to the locked gates. No one appeared to be moving around within the grounds or the building, and the drive was devoid of cars.

"Wait, what day is it?" Ingrid asked.

"Sunday." Arthur groaned as he realised their mistake.

"Alethea said it was closed on weekends." Merlin sighed.

"Damn it!" The Pendragon cursed as he kicked the gate.

"The way I see it, we have two options." Ingrid said calmly, remaining the voice of reason. "Either we break in and see if we can find a record of her, or we continue onwards and see if we can find her house."

"We can always come back here tomorrow…" Merlin suggested.

"She can't be far away." Arthur told them. "Not if she walked here daily. Less than two miles?"

"Then we find her house?"

"We find her house." Arthur agreed.

Fifteen minutes later found them crossing the bridge over the railway, and a quick look at the map they had been given in Chester revealed that they were not far at all from the town centre. Looking down the street, they found it lined with pubs, takeaways and bars, with a fountain at the top of it. Crossing the river, they then paused to have a look at Alethea's journal.

"Is it me or is it weird being here without Alethea?" Merlin asked.

"It's exactly as she described." Ingrid mused.

"I guess everyone is attached to where they're from." Arthur agreed. "Though personally I'm not sure I would be in such a rush to get back to this place."

"It's home to her." Merlin pointed out. "And everyone feels attached to where they grew up."

"So, where do we go from here?" Ingrid asked.

"Apparently down there." Arthur pointed to the large retail park across the road.

"Then let's go."

All of them were feeling a little nervous as they crossed the road and started walking towards the retail park. None of them knew if Alethea would be happy to see them, or if she would even be home. Of course, they did have to find her house first, and that may not be simple to do.

"Is that…?" Merlin asked hopefully as he pointed to a distant figure.

"It could be…" Ingrid mused as she looked up.

"She has the right stature." Merlin pointed out.

"I need her to get a bit closer, just to be sure…" Ingrid said, while Arthur finally looked up. His eyes widened and his heart raced, while a grin formed on his face. They had done it! They had found her!

"Alethea!"


	9. Books and Baths

Arthur's heart was racing and he could not stop grinning as he realised that they had succeeded in their quest. Holding the woman tight to him, he decided he was never going to leave her side ever again.

"Alethea, I am so glad I've found you! I am so sorry for…" He began to apologise, not realising that the woman in his arms was trying to escape.

"Get off me!" The woman said, struggling to free herself from his grip. Arthur let go of her, already confused, while Ingrid and Merlin watched curiously.

"I am sorry. I…" Arthur began as he realised that this woman did not know him. Though she had similar features to his wife, this was not Alethea.

"You thought I was my daughter?" She guessed as she straightened her coat and Arthur nodded. "I suppose it's a compliment." She shrugged. "Now, who are you and why are you looking for her?"

"We're old friends." Ingrid explained before Arthur blurted out the truth. "We fell out of contact with her a while ago and wanted to get back in touch."

"You have travelled far?" Alethea's mother asked, taking in their muddy trousers and boots.

"For a few days." Merlin explained just as the sky rumbled with thunder.

"Well we can't stay out here with the storm so I suppose you'd best come with me." She paused. "I'm Ruth by the way. Ruth Wilkes."

"It's a pleasure." Arthur said. "I'm Arthur, and this is Merlin and Ingrid."

"I can't say I remember her mentioning you, but I suppose she does meet a lot of people with work." Ruth mused as she led the way.

"What is it that she does?" Merlin asked conversationally. Lightning flashed above them and all hurried their paces.

"Archaeology. She spends most days digging through mud and dirt in search of ruins and bits that people have left behind." Ruth explained. "She loves it and I'm glad her hard work paid off."

"She got her dream job?" Arthur asked, knowing just how much Alethea had wanted to learn about previous cultures and civilisations. He had been amused to see her inspect everything in the castle when she had become queen, but she had never given up on her passion. Even when they were on Avalon she had spent much of her time reading about other cultures and civilisations.

"She did. Of course, it means I usually have no idea where in the country she is exactly." Ruth laughed. "She certainly is an adventurous one. Takes it from her father."

"So she isn't home at the moment?" Merlin asked.

"No, but I can give you her contact details." Ruth told them just as the heavens opened. Cursing, she pointed to the semi-detached house just down the road and all of them broke into a run towards it.

Despite their best efforts, all of them were soaked by the time they reached the house, and Ruth tutted as she switched the fire on for them in the living room.

"I'll be back in a minute. Make yourselves at home." She told them before disappearing upstairs. The trio stood next to the gas fire, grateful for the warmth, and then looked around the room. It was quite cosy, with two sofas and a coffee table in the middle. A desk sat in the bay window, while two bookcases sat either side of the mantlepiece. Frames were hung on the wall, each containing pictures from various events and holidays, and Arthur smiled as he spotted one of a four-year-old Alethea clutching a toy dragon in front of a castle. Another caught his eye, and he stared at it as he realised that it must have been taken just before she came to Camelot. She looked so happy, and he felt a stab of guilt as he realised that he had kept her from returning to her home.

"What's the plan?" Merlin asked quietly as Ruth got changed upstairs.

"We get Alethea's address and go there." Ingrid said decisively. "She can't be too far away."

"Do you really think she'll be glad to see us though?" Arthur asked. "I mean, she has everything she dreamt of here. I…"

"Don't you dare back out on me Arthur Pendragon!" Ingrid warned, pointing a finger at him. "Not after all I have had to suffer through for you!"

"This is Alethea we're talking about Arthur. Of course she'll want to see us." Merlin assured him. He was quiet as the rain bucketed down outside, and another crash of thunder followed. That was when they heard keys in the lock, and they turned to find a man in his forties walk inside. He had Alethea's eyes and he stared at the group by the fire in confusion before taking off his coat.

"Hello." He greeted cautiously. "Can I help you?"

"You must be Mr Wilkes." Ingrid said, and he nodded. "We're friends of Alethea's. Your wife kindly let us shelter from the rain."

"Ah." He paused. "Can I get any of you anything to drink?"

"Please." Merlin said.

"I'll fill the kettle." He decided, before disappearing into the kitchen.

Arthur, Ingrid and Merlin were soon sat down, clutching mugs of tea while Ruth and Charles Wilkes talked to them. They were very interested as to how they knew Alethea and why they were looking for her, but Ingrid had explained that they had fallen out of contact shortly after an excavation at university, and they wished to get back in touch. Nothing was said about their clothes, and as the storm raged on outside, none of them were in a particular hurry to leave.

"Thank you." Arthur said as he finished his drink. "For letting us stay dry."

"Any friend of Ali's is welcome here." Charles Wilkes shrugged. "Where is she this week anyway?"

"Working on a Saxon village just a few miles from her place." Ruth explained before her phone rang. "Speak of the Devil… I'll be back in a bit." She excused herself, and everyone's ears perked as they heard Alethea's name.

"So, how did you get here?"

"We walked." Merlin shrugged.

"Where from? No offence, but you look as if you've been hiking for days."

"That's because we have been." Ingrid told him. "We're from a small village in Somerset."

"That is a long way." Charles agreed. "Beautiful county though. We've visited on holiday many times."

"It is a lovely place." Merlin agreed.

"So I take it you've been camping?" They nodded. "Well, looking at the sky it doesn't appear it will stop raining any time soon, and the nearest campsite is a good hour or so away…." Charles mused. "I'll talk to my wife, see what we can do."

"Thank you." Ingrid smiled.

"Did you see anything of interest on your way here then?"

"We did. I particularly liked Chester…" And so the conversation turned to the merits of the city that had grown from the Roman fortress.

Ruth reappeared half an hour later and Charles instantly excused himself. The couple moved to the kitchen, while Arthur, Merlin and Ingrid moved back to the fire, glad that their clothes were almost dry.

"…ill. Could we not go visit her and drop some supplies off?" Ruth asked. Arthur was not trying to eavesdrop, but none of them could help overhearing.

"Do you think she'd be up for visitors?"

"Are you thinking…?"

"It makes sense."

"Very well." Ruth agreed. "Then they can stay overnight."

"I'll get the rooms made up."

"I'll make a start on food then." Charles reappeared a moment later and smiled at them.

"No cold and draughty tents for you tonight. You're welcome to stay, and tomorrow we'll take you to Alethea."

"That is amazing! Thank you!" Arthur grinned, hardly believing their luck.

"In the meantime, as I can see all of you got caught in the rain, you are welcome to bathe and change your clothes."

"Ah…" Ingrid sighed. "It seems we weren't very prepared for such a long trek. We don't have any…"

"Then borrow some." Ruth said as she came in to the room. "I'm sure Alethea left something in her wardrobe you can borrow, and I'm certain Charles can find something for you two."

"Thank you." Merlin said. "You are very kind."

"Now, who's first for a bath?"

"Me." Ingrid said, leaping at the chance of getting clean, though she was a little surprised that neither of the men objected.

The raven-haired lady smiled as she was shown the bathroom, and she was a little confused to discover that no water was being boiled. Instead it was flowing from a tap straight into a tub, and then she spotted the numerous bottles of lotions and potions on the windowsill and along the bath. It partly reminded her of Gaius' chambers, and she felt a stab of sadness as she thought of the physician. All of them missed the old man, Merlin especially, and it hurt knowing that they would never see him again.

"Help yourself to Alethea's wardrobe. Her room is this one here." Charles explained as he gestured to a door with a poster of Stonehenge stuck to it. "I'll leave you to it. If you need anything I'll be in here." He disappeared into a different room then, and moments later Ingrid sank into the hot water, letting it wash away the grime and stress of the last few days.

Meanwhile the two young men were sat on the sofa while Ruth prepared dinner in the kitchen next door. Neither of them could quite believe that they had found Alethea's home, and though disappointed that she was not present, they were glad that they would see her tomorrow. Arthur was worried though, for he did not like the sound of his wife being ill, and he had no idea how she would react to their sudden appearance. Her parents seemed like lovely people, and he had no wish to tear her away from everything she had strived so hard to build. Yet he also knew that he had no choice. The prophecy required all of them on Avalon, which meant he had to take her back with them. He had no idea what he would do if she refused…

"Arthur?" Merlin questioned, having been speaking to him for a few minutes without reply. "Are you alright?"

"I was just thinking."

"That's a dangerous pastime." Merlin joked, and the Pendragon sighed. "Cheer up. Our quest is nearly at an end. We'll find Alethea tomorrow and then all will be well."

"How is it you are always so optimistic Merlin?"

"It's part of his charm." Ingrid answered as she appeared in the doorway. She was wearing a red cotton dress which stopped at the knee, while she had a book tucked under her arm. "I would not worry Arthur. It seems Alethea has not given up on us."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I found this on her bookcase." She said, showing them a copy of Le Morte D'Arthur. "And there are many more like it."

The next morning found them all clean and well-rested, and they set off after breakfast. Dressed in borrowed clothes, the trio were sat in the back of Charles' car as he headed to Alethea's house. Ingrid was busy reading one of Alethea's books, having borrowed a couple, while Merlin slept and Arthur watched the scenery change through the window. None of them knew what they were about to face, but they hoped that their journey had not been for nothing. All Arthur could think of was what he was going to say when he saw her, but deep down he knew that there were no words good enough. All he could do was pray that she would forgive him.

They reached Alethea's flat a little after midday, and all of them were glad to get out of the car. Stretching out aching muscles and blinking sleep from their eyes, Arthur, Merlin and Ingrid stared at the apartment block in wonder, before following Ruth inside. Just moments later they were stood outside a door, and Ruth paused as she realised that she had left her bag in the car.

"I'll be back in a moment." She said as she hurried back to her husband. Ingrid waited a moment, before knocking on the door.

Whatever it was that they were expecting to happen, it was not this. The door was opened a minute later by a young woman in a fluffy dressing gown, her skin pale and dark rings around her eyes as she sniffled.

"Arthur?" She asked quietly.

"Hello Alethea." He smiled softly, and at that, the former Queen of Camelot fainted.


End file.
